Field Programme Officer

Chester Zoo; Chester; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a passionate team at a leading conservation organization as a Field Programme Officer. In this vital role, you will support the management and delivery of international field conservation projects, ensuring accurate documentation and effective communication across various platforms. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to meaningful conservation efforts while enjoying a vibrant workplace surrounded by wildlife. With a commitment to employee development and a collaborative environment, this is the perfect chance to make a difference in the world of conservation.

Benefits

33 days annual leave

Staff pass for zoo visits

Cycle to work scheme

Healthcare plan

Discounted gym membership

Discounts on cinema tickets and restaurants

Pension scheme with employer contributions

Qualifications

• Degree-level education or equivalent experience in a relevant field.
• Experience in presenting information to various audiences through reports and presentations.

Responsibilities

• Support project management processes and ensure accurate documentation.
• Maintain the field project database and develop reporting functions.

Skills

Project Management

Communication Skills

Organizational Skills

Writing Skills

Collaboration Skills

Detail Orientation

Education

Degree-level education in a relevant field

Tools

Microsoft Office

R

Python

PowerBi

GIS (Q, Arc)

Job description

The Role - Field Programme Officer

This is a key role supporting the Field Programme Department in the development and delivery of an international portfolio of field conservation projects. The Field Programme Officer will support project leads across all of our regional programmes in project design and management, governance, document management and other processes. They will manage the field project database and other information sources and facilitate various outputs to support internal and external reporting and communications.

As the Field Programme Officer, you will:

• Support and track project management processes and ensure accurate and efficient documentation and management of project-related information, including tracking of departmental metrics such financial and conservation impact measures, and progress towards strategic or tactical goals.
• Maintain and manage the field project database, and support and help develop various reporting functions for internal and external stakeholders. This will vary from the production of internal Trustee and Director reports, supporting external audits or the production of presentations for various audiences.
• Help identify field project information needs within the organisation and produce suitable outputs and information-sharing platforms. This would include supporting updates and news for platforms such as the Chester Zoo website and Intranet.

The Package

• 40 hours per week permanent contract
• Typically, 8am – 5pm (with 1 hour lunch), Mon-Fri, working hours but with flexibility as required to cater for seasonal activities.
• 33 days annual leave plus the option to buy or sell up to 5 days
• Staff pass so you can visit the zoo during your time off, plus multiple complimentary tickets for your friends and family
• Cycle to work scheme
• Healthcare plan and employee assistance programme
• Discounted gym membership
• Discounts on cinema tickets, restaurants, high street shops and more via Perks
• Pension scheme with generous employer contributions up to 9%

Our Requirements – Field Programme Officer

• Degree-level education and/or equivalent experience in a relevant field
• Knowledge of the conservation role of zoos
• Experience in collating and presenting information to a variety of audiences, and through various media e.g. reports, dashboards, presentations
• Strong writing skills with the ability to translate often complex information into digestible updates for various audiences
• Strong collaborative skills, capable of building and developing relationships at all levels
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft packages and other desktop software
• Strong organisational and time management skills
• Ability to focus on detail and accuracy

Although not essential, the following would be desirable:

• Experience and knowledge of project management best practise for conservation
• Knowledge of biodiversity conservation and good understanding of conservation theory
• Knowledge of data tools (R, Python, PowerBi etc.) and GIS (Q, Arc etc.) desirable

Interviews will likely be held on 9 and 10 June 2025.

What makes Chester Zoo a great place to work?

Well, where do we start? Here goes…

We’re a huge team of conservationists, scientists, educators, animal welfare experts, marketeers, visitor experience professionals, environmental policy influencers; the list goes on. Each and every one of us is on a mission to make Chester Zoo the best in the world, and our planet a better place.

As the UK’s biggest and best zoo, we have ambitious goals, exciting plans, and there’s always lots going on here. We’re an inclusive and diverse organisation, made up of over 600 permanent and 500 temporary team members, and we know how important it is to invest in our colleagues to help boost their career development. We have ambitious goals, and we want you to be with us for the long term on our exciting journey.

Our working environment could not be more different from a typical office – where else can you see critically endangered orangutans from your office window, or stroll among rare giraffes and tigers on your lunch break?

Please be aware we reserve the right to close our vacancies earlier than the listed date if we have received a high level of suitable applications. We recommend that if you do wish to be considered that you complete the application as promptly as possible.

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